Rachel Kelly's food website: "there is no love sincerer than the love of food!"

the british food year

Is it just my vivid imagination, or fashionable foodie brainwashing, or is the passion of television chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall or Rick Stein rubbing off on me, but it seems to me that locally grown and seasonal food just tastes better.Below is a food calendar that I have cobbled together from a variety of sources (see below), so that you can find out what is in season right now. Although farming methods and possible climate change have extended the British growing season, availability is clearly dependent on the weather! I have tried not to include fruit and vegetables grown with artificial light and heat.Some fruit and vegetables seem to appear out of their growing season, such as carrots, potatoes, apples and pears. This is because they have an extended lifespan, since they can be successfully stored for long periods.By the way, it is also worth noting that appearances are not everything, despite what the supermarkets might encourage us to believe: the odd blemish and kink really doesn't hurt. Perfect fruit and vegetables may look nice but this perfect conformity doesn't affect the flavour.JanuaryBritish root vegetables are in season and there are stores of fruit such as apples and pears.

MarchThe first of the crop of vegetables (planted in the previous year) are coming into season, such as spring greens and purple sprouting broccoli, that offsets the austerity of the month. It’s a great month to try nettles if you haven’t before. Not only are they free, they taste delicious too. There are also stores of potatoes, apples and pears.

AprilApril is something of a lean month, since stores of British fruit and vegetables are coming to an end and the new crop of vegetables are not up to maximum strength yet. Fortunately all the greens are beginning to appear, such as lettuce and watercress as well as spinach and broccoli, so it’s not all doom and gloom.

MayWinter crops are ending and most stores of fruit and vegetables are finished. But it is a time to celebrate glorious British asparagus and the first new potatoes. The first of the outdoor-reared spring lamb appear at the end of the month. It’s a good month for the first of the year’s herbs, such as chervil and parsley.

JuneJune is a fabulous month, with new potatoes, asparagus and peas. The first of the Summer’s soft fruits are coming into season, including blackcurrants, cherries, gooseberries and strawberries. Tomatoes make their first appearance too and the lettuce are raring to go, as are broad beans and fennel.

AugustAugust is a good month for soft fruits and vegetables, with tree fruits such as Victoria plums, appearing at the end of the month. Onions are beginning to be harvested now, to be stored throughout the winter months.

SeptemberAn excellent month for fruit and summer vegetables, such as early apples, blackberries, damsons and early pears. The salad vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes are still around and winter vegetables such as swede and brussels sprouts are beginning to appear. Main crop potatoes are lifted from now until October, to be stored until the beginning of the following summer.

OctoberThis is the main season for apples and pears. The first Bramley apples are now in season, as are figs. The jerusalem artichoke season is just beginning and cauliflowers are at their peak, together with main crop potatoes and carrots, sprouts, and broccoli. Lettuce is running out by the middle of the month, and courgettes finish towards the end. It’s a fabulous month to go foraging for mushrooms!

NovemberSadly, the tender vegetable crops are disappearing as the first frosts appear, although it is still a good month for cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, leeks, parsnips, potatoes and sprouts as well as apples, pears, quinces, and sprouts. However, this is the month that game really comes into its own.

DecemberThis can feel like a rather dismal month although the winter root vegetables are in full swing, including parsnips, swedes and turnips and stores of carrots, potatoes, red cabbage, apples and pears.

About Me

Born in Nottingham. Grew up in Kuala Lumpur and now based in north London. Marketing Communications professional, project manager, writer, researcher, tree hugger, home cook and food blogger. Trainee assassin sounds more interesting though but the reality is that I am cooking seasonally, learning to forage and to trust my instincts, and writing about food; discovering new ingredients and dreaming that I'm part kitchen witch, part mad scientist. I wish!